Charley Harper (1922-2007) had an alternative way of looking at nature. There is a rare and delightful playfulness in his artwork. His drawings are large expanses of rich color which give the viewer a very different perspective of the animal kingdom. There is also graphic genius in his work revealing the unique aspects of his wildlife subjects through highly stylized geometric reduction usually also incorporating humor. Charley saw exciting shapes, color combinations, patterns, textures, fascinating behavior, and endless possibilities for making interesting pictures

Charley grew up on a West Virginia farm where he developed an early appreciation and love of animals. He attended West Virginia Wesleyan College and graduated from the Cincinnati Art Academy, where he also taught for many years.

Shackled by the laws of perspective and shading trying to create the illusion of three dimensions on the two-dimensional plane, Charley decided it denied the picture plane which is flat, hard-edged, and simple.

His art is modern, sophisticated and very charming. Being minimalist, his drawing style lends itself easily to the Motawi cuenca tile decorating technique.

We present the best of Motawi’s exclusive Charley Harper Tiles as an example of whimsical and lighthearted tile design.

Motawi Tile are made in Michigan, framed in Dard Hunter's quarter-sawn Legacy oak frames and are shipped from Ohio.